No tsunami, but large quake may affect sea level

Posted by Robert Woolsey, KCAW | Aug 31, 2012

The quake’s epicenter was off the coast of the Philippines, about 33 km below the surface of the earth. (Alaska Tsunami Warning Center image)

The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer has scaled down its initial estimate of the size of a large earthquake in the South Pacific this morning. The center now says that the earthquake, which occurred shortly before 5 AM Alaska time, was magnitude 7.6.

The quake, though large, is not expected to generate a tsunami. Nevertheless, the center says coastal areas of North America may experience “non-damaging” sea level changes.

The epicenter of the quake was located about 100 miles east of the Philippines in the South Pacific, about 33 kilometers below the surface of the earth.

CNN is reporting that coastal areas of the Philippines were evacuated, but only a small tsunami arrived at the islands. One man was killed in a landslide triggered by the quake. Read more from CNN.